Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Collective Lush Haul

Maybe it's better that I held off on posting any more Lush hauls until I had a huge conglomerate to post about. So here's 3 separate Lush hauls all put into one! Let's start with the beginning of January, at our local Lush store! Unfortunately, I don't recall what these prices were and I no longer have the receipts. They were comparable to regular Lush prices, though.

Creamy Candy Bubble Bar: Repurchase. Yes, I liked it that much that I repurchased within 5 days of buying my first one. Something about that Snow Fairy scent just makes me so happy. Bubble action with this bar is phenomenal. 1/3-1/4 of this bar gives me more than enough bubbles to soak in.

Green Bubbleroon: "Bursting with uplifting and naturally smile-inducing sweet orange and lime oils, mounds of fluffy bubbles and vibrant, emerald green water, Green is bound to lift your mood. We pack extra skin-softening “jam” in the center to hold the two pieces of your bubbleroon together, but once it's in the tub, that jam disperses throughout your bath to soften and moisturize, making your skin oh-so-happy"
This is a bright and green fragrance, true to its name. It's uplifting without being energizing, so it works as a great nighttime bath option as well. I can't speak for the "jam" in the center, as I always combine products in my bath, but the bubbling action is just as good as a bubble bar. I try to use 1/3 of a bubbleroon, but I could probably stand to cut this in 1/2 instead because of its size.

Big Blue Bath Bomb: "Take a dip into the deep blue sea of our Big Blue Bath Bomb for an inspiring getaway to the seashore. Lavender is instantly relaxing on the body and mind, and lemon oil helps to keep you afloat. For a truly authentic experience, we’ve added in some of nature’s finest ingredients – sea salt and seaweed. Packed with minerals, salt helps the body rid itself of toxins, while seaweed softens and soothes your skin. Just lay back and sail away to shores of uncluttered thoughts, softer skin and warm, blue seas."
I did not realize that there was lavender in this! It's not a very strong or overpowering lavender, so those who aren't big lavender fans would still find this a soothing scent. I used this up already, about 1/2 per bath, and this is a very, very soft bath bomb. I made a point to search the ingredients while in my first bath because I was shocked at how soft my skin felt. The only thing I saw that was moisturizing was the seaweed, and boy does that stuff work! The downside to this bomb is the seaweed clumps that can be a bit of a hassle to clean up afterwards, but I usually stick my bath bombs and bubble bars into a stocking anyway to catch all of the large chunks.

Yog Nog Bath Bomb: "Sweeter than dipping into the cookie jar, this luxurious bomb is sure to warm you up cold, frosty evenings. Spicy clove bud oil stimulates the senses while soy milk powder and organic shea butter create creamy, comforting waters. Luxuriate in comforting toffee soaks with clouds of gold and a touch of luster."
A sweet bath bomb that smells very creamy. I picked it up out of curiosity but I have yet to use it.

These two products came together in a Night Before Christmas gift set. The weird thing about this is it's nothing like what I can find online. The employee did make a point to tell me that this version is different from anywhere else and was a Korea exclusive. In any case, I was interested in the contents so I picked it up.

Snow Angel Bath Bomb: "Dissolving into a flurry of snow, Snow Angel will blanket your bath in white foam before revealing its shimmering golden glow. Rich in moisturizing cocoa butter, rose, benzoin and cassie absolute, this one is made to treat winter skin to a soothing and softening soak. And its delicate marzipan scent will leave you wanting even more."
This is a very light and powdery scent, much like the butterbear bath bomb that is in other versions of this gift set. While I'm not a fan of the glitter, I do appreciate being able to see the cocoa butter chunks in this bath bomb, and the light scent allows me to mix this with whatever other bath products I choose.

Intergalactic Bath Bomb: "Ever wonder what bathing in deep space would be like? Invite the cosmos into your tub with this interstellar bomb. An awesome mix of refreshing peppermint and neon color will send your mood rocketing, while popping candy takes you on a trip around the Milky Way. Before you leap too far, rogue layers of vetivert and cedarwood take hold, evoking the warmth of human contact far from home and a hint of ‘80s aftershave."
This has a very soft minty scent, and when used in the tub it brings soft tingles to the skin with a weird tingly sensation. It reminds me of the Christingle body conditioner. While I enjoy the feeling of the conditioner on my body, I'm not sure how I feel about my entire body being soaked in the tingly sensation. Let's just say I'm not a fan of anything cooling or tingly in a certain region of my body.

Butterbear Gift Set: "Is just one Butterbear not enough? No problem. This gift comes with six all contained in one adorable reusable tin. These friendly bears have a generous helping of cocoa butter to give you the softest bear hug imaginable. Each one helps to nourish and protect skin, no matter how long you relax in the tub and has the same delicate vanilla fragrance as our Butterball Bath Bomb."
Another light but moisturizing bath bomb that I picked up for its versatility in bath uses. You definitely need no more than 1/2 of a bomb to achieve maximum softness of the skin. I used a full one due to my own laziness for one bath and oh my goodness that was soft.

Green Fun: "When life gives you lemons (and limes) make FUN! We crafted this uplifting citrusy bubbler for cheery baths that are sure to perk you up. A fresh mixture of lime and lemon peel oils work their magic on early risers who would rather be back in bed. No matter how severe the case of grogginess, Green FUN is a perfectly perky solution. Use in the bath or run a hot shower and crumble a bit on a bath pouf, then lather up your body head to toe (that includes your hair) and inhale deeply. When you're having this much fun, it's easy being green!"
Michael picked this one up with plans of using (ie: playing with) this in the tub some day. This is a very citrusy blend and I find this to be slightly drying, but Michael didn't care. He just wanted tub-safe Play Doh.

My freebies on this particular purchase!Drive Lipstick: "Will you need to Drive people and projects into action today? Apply Drive, our pink-purple liquid lipstick to get things moving. With its hydrating base of jojoba oil and rose wax, Drive applies beautifully and ensures your lips stay soft and smooth. The richly-pigmented shimmery formula makes it easy to wear Drive any way you like: apply just a little for a subtle pink-purple look, or build intensity when you apply more generously. Drive: moving forward."
Wow, I just realized how awesome those last two words are and how that relates to what I'm hoping to accomplish this year in life. Moving forward. Anyways, the manager gave me purple because I was pretty much decked out in purple and she correctly guessed that I'm a big purple fan. I have used this a few times, and the texture is nice and creamy, but I'm not a big makeup fan and the feeling of something being on my face/eyes/lips always makes me want to soak my face in a tub until everything comes off. LOL

Jackie Oates Color Supplement: "Jackie Oates is a light, soothing and gentle base for very pale skin types with cooler undertones, which are often sensitive and prone to redness. If you’re not sure whether you have warm or cool undertones, take a look at your wrists. Are your veins blue in color? If so, you have cooler undertones. Helen Ambrosen (LUSH co-founder) used soothing oats and honey, and the moisturizing, protective qualities of lanolin to calm and hydrate. The result? A perfect porcelain finish."
I haven't used this yet. I'm not sure if I'm ever going to. It sounds awesome and I wouldn't mind trying it out, but the realistic side of me points out how I like to pick up makeup and then wear it once or twice before forgetting about it entirely. I may pass this on to my Mom.

Next up, my Boxing Day haul! This took a while to get to me because I had to send my package to my parents' house first. While the Lush made it there safe and sound it unfortunately did not survive the overseas trip.

Cinders Bath Bomb: "Heat up your holidays with this sweet and spicy bomb inspired by fireside gatherings with family and friends. We combine crackling vegan popping candy with stimulating cinnamon leaf oil to recreate the warmth of the hearth. With a bath so inviting, you can skip the open fire and curl up with this fizzer instead."
Sweet cinnamon and spices. I got two of these, and Mom kept one for herself when she sent this batch of Lush off to me. It was our first ever Lush product, so it holds a special place in our hearts :)
I like using this with the Candy Mountain bubble bar for a burst of sweet and spicy holiday cheer. This bath bomb isn't as moisturizing as others, so I usually pop in a bath melt/truffle of some sort to soften up my bath.

5 Gold Rings Bubble Bar: "Not one, but five deliciously scented fair trade vanilla and tonka baths can be yours. Crumble up one or more of these gilded bubblers under the running tap for a tub filled with comforting, cozy bubbles. The sweet fragrance will have you singing merry songs all season long."
This has a light vanilla scent and is absolutely loaded with glitter. I haven't used it yet so I can't comment on how well it bubbles or how obnoxious the glitter is.

This was one of the poor guys that did not survive the trip overseas. I got two of these and each one got their own bag to be in. The good thing about a lot of my products coming in crumbled/broken is I don't have to worry about breaking up said products! Yay!!

Dashing Santa Bath Bomb: "Make a dash for this moving bath bomb with a cheerful and uplifting scent of satsumas at Christmas. Watch Santa fly about your bath as his golden boots fizz away, releasing toning mandarin oil, bergamot oil and orange flower absolute that help put a spring in your step, too."

Another one that did not survive the trip. I got these last year at the Boxing Day sale and liked the scent and feel of these guys, so I picked up some more.

Candy Mountain Bubble Bar: "Fair trade vanilla grows in view of the Rwenzori Mountains of the Moon in Western Uganda before being packed into this lustrous pink bubbler. Crumble it up under running water and sink deep into the glistening ridges of sweetly scented bubbles and comforting creamy candy scent. It's a sweet treat you won't soon forget."
My favorite holiday product by far from Lush. I picked up four of these puppies, and with Julie sending me one in her care package I'm set for a good while on my Candy Mountain needs. I can cut this into thirds for maximum usage. With the size of our tub I might even be able to get away with cutting into fourths. This gives tons of bubbles either way and the 'luster' isn't too obnoxious in the bath or on the skin.

Shoot For The Stars Bath Bomb:"Launch this one in the water and watch it shoot and spin. Stay very still to see the swirling colors of the night sky dazzle in your bathtub. As the calming blanket of shimmering midnight blue unfolds, Brazilian orange and bergamot oils take your skin to heaven as your mood rockets straight up to the stars."
A very soothing bath bomb. I haven't tried this in recent years so I don't know how it performs now, but I remember this as a very luxurious bath bomb that softens the skin up and leaves the tub a vibrant blue. The scent is light but -depending on the length of your bath- is very noticeable on the skin afterwards. I got two of these.

Stardust Bath Bomb: "Follow this star all the way to the bathroom; it will bear exotic gifts of fair trade Ugandan vanilla from the Mountains of the Moon and precious, intoxicating rosewood. A twinkly dip in its starlit waters gives a bergamot-powered boost to the mind and body - ideal for a little post-party recovery."
These two suffered the most damage out of all the products. It smells like the butterball/butterbear bath bombs but according to the description has a different scent. I haven't tried these yet so I can't comment on how they actually perform. I'm not a big fan of the star shaped glitters found in here, so this will definitely be going into a pantyhose to catch all of the debris.

And last, but not least...

Holly Golightly Bubble Bar: "Baby, it’s cold outside but we’ve got the cure for what…well…makes you cold! Crumble Holly Golightly under warm running water and you’ll start to warm up the moment the spicy clove, cinnamon and patchouli oil fragrance hits your nose. Breathe deep and luxuriate in the soothing, festive scent. Hop in the tub, sink deep into those warming waters and let the cold (and your troubles) melt away like a snowman in summer. See? Now don’t you feel warmer already?"
Sparkle bomb. Glitter everywhere. Patchouli is the most dominant scent here, making this a very musky type bubble bar. I'm a bit concerned about the glitter bomb that this is, so I will plan to hop in the shower after a bath to ensure minimal glitter-ness in all my nooks and crannies. I like the size of the bubble bar, though. If it bubbles like Lush's typical products I plan to cut this into 1/4ths for maximum usage. I got two of these.

My fingers after just picking up the bubble bar. Thus my concern about the amount of glitter.

Sample time!Bohemian Soap: "When LUSH gets lemons, we make our simple, but beautifully effective mind-clearing lemon soap! A customer and inventor favorite for years, the palm-free soap base and lemon oil are perfect for cleaning and toning the skin. Lemon juice is a natural astringent, perfect for oily skin and to balance skin’s moisture; no more troubled skin! Named for creative types, the bright, uplifting citrus scent is meant to stimulate creative streaks. It certainly helped us create this sudsing masterpiece."
Very lemony. I plan on using this once I get through my own bar of soap that I've been using.

Now for my final haul in this expansive collective haul! Our most recent trip a little over a week ago to pick up some stuff for Michael's itchy, dry skin!

Christingle Body Conditioner:"Who will top the Christmas tingles chart? We think it's this fresh new invention. After soaping up and rinsing off, smooth this pale blue peppermint and menthol crystal body conditioner all over to hydrate and cool the skin. Jojoba oil, murumuru and shea butters nourish and soften, while the menthol gives skin a tingly sensation! Peppermint, spearmint and grapefruit oils make for a refreshing fragrance. Rinse off and you're ready to go!"
First off I have to comment on the price. 55,000W. Or about $45USD. I Googled up the equivalent product size and pricing in the US and the highest price I could find was around $25 for a 7.4 ounce container. No wonder they still have an entire shelf of this product left! However!! Michael liked how it made his skin feel, and he spoils me, so I'm willing to pick more up if he wants.
This smells like spearmint gum, and it very much gives your skin a tingly, minty feeling. I like using a dime-sized amount on my face in the shower after washing and it leaves my skin feeling bright and smooth. Michael likes this for his entire upper body and he feels that it leaves him feeling extra silky and smooth. I can agree with that assessment :)

Rub Rub Rub Shower Scrub: "Rub Rub Rub is a bit of a variation on the normal shower gel. For one, it’s so thick we put it into a tub for handy scooping in the shower. Secondly, it’s a bright blue, supremely softening, exfoliating sea salt shower scrub to revive your skin. Sea salt is extra cleansing, mineral-rich and softening for the body; you can even use it as a shampoo in a pinch! Our rubby scrub is startlingly refreshing, with a dash of lemon juice and the tropical scent of mimosa blossoms for a light, blossom-scented wash and smoother skin."
I love this scent. The website says this is a sea salt and mimosa scrub, so I assume it's the mimosa that I smell. Then the salt comes in and takes me to trips to the beach with my family and hanging out in the sand building sand castles. It leaves Michael's skin feeling very fresh and baby-soft. I used a very small amount on my face and it helped with some of the dry skin I had hanging around my temples. I don't like scrubby products because my skin is way to sensitive, and my hands ended up red and irritated after I helped Michael get his back, but I do notice a difference when it's used. Michael is a fan so we will probably repurchase this after he goes through it. A 330g tub cost 27,900W, or about $23.25.

Ro's Argan Body Conditioner: "LUSH product inventor Rowena made this decadent, rose-scented shower ‘lotion'. She noticed how much she liked the sultry soft feeling hair conditioner gives her hair, so she thought how nice it would be if she could have the same feeling for the body too. With scoops of cocoa butter, cupuacu butter, almond oil and Argan oils, and the fragrant scent of fresh rose petals, this is the most luxurious body softener that ever was (if we don't say so ourselves!). After washing up, slather yourself all over with this new invention. Rinse, pat dry and revel in supremely soft, rose-scented skin."
I don't like this at all. It doesn't smell like fresh roses. It smells like baby powder. When you apply it to your skin it turns into a weird plastic scent and never seems to soak into the skin, leaving a film of almost greasy ickiness that I hate. Once I wash it off, my skin is left feeling super smooth and glamorous, but I do not like the scent or inability to soak in to the skin. Saponé, the woman who's helped us each and every time we've come to this location, emphasized that characteristic about this conditioner and urged Michael to use this in the shower so he could immediately rinse the excess off. He likes it and how it makes his skin feel, so I'm going to let him decide if he wants to repurchase. This 225g pot was 39,800W, or about $33 USD.

Sun Solid Perfume: "LUSH co-founder Mark Constantine was having a glum winter. Cold and unhappy, he took to daydreaming about a fabulous U.S. road trip he'd taken with friends, driving down the New Jersey Turnpike to Cape May. Listening to the playlist he'd created for this journey cheered him up and reminded him of warmer, sunnier climates, and the joy of sharing adventures with loved ones. With this, he flung open the doors to his fragrance cupboard and set about recreating the scent of summer! Vibrant, zesty orange, tangy tangerine and mimosa fizz recline atop sultry sandalwood for a true taste of the Sun."
This is a bright and cheery scent and one of the employees demonstrated a possible use of this by putting some in my hair. Surprise scalp massage and hair play aside, I liked how this smelled and the fragrance kept taunting me from my hair, saying "I smell delicious. Buy me and do this to your hair every day until you run out!" Then I decided to cut my hair and my hair isn't long enough to envelop my face in the scent any more. LOL
When I use this on my skin the performance is lackluster. The scent doesn't stay very long nor is it very strong. I have to use this in my hair to get any sort of performance, but the amount I have to use offsets the performance difference. I'm also not a fan of the pot design. I have to stick my grimy fingers and nails into this to get the scent out, and even if I wash my hands every single time I know there will be some germs that will eventually get in here for me to spread everywhere. I enjoyed it for what it was, but for the price and performance I would not repurchase.
This 12g pot cost 20,000W, or about $16.50.

Coalface Soap: "Coal Face is ideal for those of you who loving washing your faces with a good, old-fashioned bar of soap. Except, there’s nothing antiquated about this preservative-free facial cleanser. Inspired by the complexion bar in ‘Annie Hall’, we created Coal Face for combination to oily faces. Powdered charcoal absorbs excess sebum and acts as a mild exfoliator, while rosewood and sandalwood oils reduce redness and clear up blemishes. Use Coal Face daily for clear, balanced skin."
This was our freebie that we got for this purchase. Saponé said it would help with Michael's itchy face.
When I asked for his thoughts on it, Michael said "it hurts so good." After asking for clarification, I have figured out that while it's uncomfortable while he's using it, the end result is a happy, itch-free face. He also mentioned smelling something like flowers, which he didn't expect. I'm guessing it's the rosewood and sandalwood oils he's picking up on.
He's had success with coal based soaps before, so I'm not surprised that he liked this one. I'm not a fan of the scent or roughness so I'll pass on it.
The Lush US website tells me this goes for $13.50 for a 3.5 oz bar.

PHEW. Thus concludes three of my most recent hauls from Lush. I don't see myself going again any time soon, unless Michael runs out of his products and wants to buy some more. I must say it's been fun trying out some products from Lush that aren't bubble bars and bath bombs, but those prices are still scary.

Do you see any favorites here? What do you think of Christingle's ridonkulous price?

2 comments:

WOWZA!!! So much goody! I love it all! I used my Shooting For The Stars and it was quite fun and sparkly but instead of blue I got a deep purple bath. I thought that was surprising. I am not sure how I would like the Lush makeup but I tend to be particular about cosmetics in general.

You don't want your front butt tingling?! Lol! I live the tingle. And I am sad I missed out on Christingle. And I adore Intergalactic. I have not used my Five Golden Rings yet but plan on it soon. I am a sucker for vanilla.

Coal face rocks! Love love love it. I picked up Dark Angels too in Japan and it is very much like coal face.

Big Blue is one of my favorite bath bombs. All the seaweed makes me feel like Madison in Splash. Nerd alert.

LOL. Front butt. I love that. Have you seen what people are selling Christingle for on Ebay and Amazon? At least $40, not including hiked up shipping costs! No thank you! I need to get around to using my five golden rings! I need to make myself a vanilla themed bath cocktail!

I used coal face a few times and I don't mind it! It makes my skin feel extra smooth!

I'm sooo tempted to pick up some more Big Blue, but like you said, I'm set on Lush. Lol! I need to get through what I already have first!